37signals Product Blog

Tip: Get the Basecamp Mobile interface in your menu bar with Fluid

Here's a neat trick: You can use the new Basecamp Mobile UI as a Fluid menu bar app on your computer. That way you can get a quick view of your Basecamp projects straight from your menu bar.

To set it up, you'll first need Fluid. Fluid lets you create a Site Specific Browser (SSB) out of any website or web application, effectively turning your favorite web apps into desktop apps. Download it and then make an app for this url: https://youraccount.basecamphq.com/mobile/ (replacing the italic part with your account name).

Then launch the app and choose "Convert to menu item."

Now you can access your projects right from your menu bar!

Webucator offers Basecamp training class

Online training provider Webucator is offering a Basecamp training class. The price of each class is $790 and the next one is Jan 27-28, 2011.

Class Goals

• Learn to customize your Basecamp workspace.
• Learn to efficiently manage people, companies, and permissions.
• Learn to define, populate, search, and manage projects.
• Learn to enter and track milestones, To-Do lists, and scheduling information.
• Learn to use iCalendar and integrate with your company's other calendar tools.
• Learn to post messages and share files.
• Learn to collaborate with Basecamp's Writeboard, Chat, and RSS tools.
• Learn to quickly view project activity on the Dashboard.
• Learn to simplify access with 37signals ID and Launchpad.
• Learn to extend Basecamp with reporting, charting, billing, and accounting.
• Learn to integrate Basecamp with the iPhone and other smartphones.

More details/dates.

Stylish Basecamp printouts

Have you tried printing in Basecamp? We style the pages to produce clean print layouts that look great on paper as well as onscreen. Give it a try.

Customizing your logo and icons in Basecamp

In Basecamp, you can go to the Settings tab in the upper right of the Dashboard screen to upload a custom logo and icons.

Your logo
You can upload a company logo that appears on the sign in screen, the Dashboard, and Overview pages. It must be in PNG, GIF, or JPG format and can't be more than 300 pixels wide.

If you want the logo's background to blend in with Basecamp's grey background, you should put the logo on a grey background with the hex color #E5E5E5 and then upload that version. You can also upload a transparent image that blends into the background.

iPhone/iPad icon
You can also upload an iPhone/iPad icon that appears when you add a home screen icon on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. The uploaded image must be a square PNG or JPG and at least 114 pixels by 114 pixels. It should NOT use any transparency.

Shortcut icon
Your shortcut icon, or favicon, appears in some web browsers on the address bar, tabs or bookmarks menu. The uploaded image must be a square PNG, GIF or JPG that is at least 16 pixels by 16 pixels (exact size is best but larger images will be resized). You can use a transparent PNG image to let the background show through.

Note for the iPhone/iPad and Shortcut icons: If you don't upload a logo, your firm's users will see the default Basecamp "snowglobe" icon and your clients will see nothing. If you upload a logo, your firm's users and your clients will both see the custom logo you uploaded.

Embedding Google docs in Basecamp messages

At Basecamp Answers, Jeremy Johnson wants to know how to share Google Docs at a Basecamp project. Here's how:

In Google Docs, under the "Share" menu, choose the "Publish to the web" option. Click the "Start publishing" button. Then copy the "Embed code" shown there.

Then create a new message in Basecamp and click the "Switch to Textile/HTML" link at the bottom of the message box. Then paste in the code. Your Google Doc will be embedded in your message.

Visit Basecamp Answers to see more Q&As.

Basecamp tip: Drag and drop to-do items

Go to a to-do list and move your mouse over the item you want to move up or down. To the left, you’ll see the reorder icon. Click it and drag the item up or down to the location you want. You can move items between lists too. More details.

Basecamphq.com/tips offers more quick tips to help you be more productive in Basecamp.

New page collects 20+ quick tips and tricks for Basecamp

Basecamphq.com/tips offers over 20 quick tips to help you be more productive in Basecamp.

Basecamp Tip: Subscribe to your global feeds

Go to your Dashboard to subscribe. Whenever something new is posted, your RSS feed will be updated. If you use a desktop or web calendar, you can subscribe to iCalendar feeds and view Basecamp milestones with your other calendar items. Details.

Using Basecamp to manage an apartment building

Basecamp is a great tool for condo or co-op apartment boards that need to manage building affairs. Use Basecamp and messy email threads between board members become a thing of the past. Plus, everything gets documented. So when the board changes, it's easy for new officers to get up to speed.

Categories keep messages organized.

Messages and comments let everyone in the building chime in easily and stay up to date.

Assign tasks and track who's in charge and when things get done.

You can send your Basecamp or Backpack invoices to someone other than the account admin

Want to send your Basecamp or Backpack invoices to someone else besides the account administrator? Go to the Account page and choose the link "Change invoice email address and custom field." (Note: Only the account admin will see this option.) There you can specify a second email address to receive invoices. You can also enter custom text that will be included on each invoice.